Traffic-signal.



W. GHIGLIERI.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

APPLICATION mm IAN. 12. 1915.

1,224,632. Patented May1,191?.

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TRAFFIC. SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED m4. :2. m5. 1,224,632. Patented May1,1917.

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WILLIAM GHIGLIERI, OF SAN FRANCISCQ, CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1917.

Application filed January 12, 1915. Serial No. 1,891.

In handling street traffic on crowded city streets it is common practice to station a police olficer in the center of the intersecting streets, this oflicer regulating and controlling the trafiic in both streets by the use of a whistle, or other audible signal, and by gestures. The'second object of the invention is to provide means by which the oiiicer can control the traffic with greater certainty and by Wl1lCl1 the traffic will be instantly'informed as to the ofiicers intentions, thus insuring-prompt movements of the trafiic and greatly reducing misunderstandings and their attendant confusion, delays, and accidents.

Where the ofiicer is stationed on the street his signalsare visible and audible over a small area only, and it is impossible for a person approaching the intersection to tell with certainty what the condition is at the intersection until he gets into the immediate neighborhood of the ofiicer. The result is that an automobile, for example, hurries through the space between intersections only to find-the traflic blocked at the next corner, thus necessitating a complete stop and a freshstart when the traflic starts again. The third object of my invention is to provide a visible signal which can be seen by all traffic within several blocks of the intersection, so that trafiic approaching the intersection will regulate its speed to suit the condition of the signal and thereby avoid stops.

At certain times it is necessary for the traffic officer to leave his 0st for short periods. and the fourth ob ect of my invention is to provide means whereby the officer can set the signal to operate automatically in his absence, the signal working through a definite cycle'automatically.

In our cities the density of traffic during the night on the most used streets, and the density of traflic at all times on the less frequented streets, is such that the expense of an officer is not warranted, and the trafiic 1s therefore not regulated at such times and places. The fifth object of my invention is to provide a signal which may be entirely automatic and which will control such trafiic without the expense of an officer? It has been found that it is necessary at times to arrest the movement of all traffic to give fire apparatus, or ambulances, the right of way, and the sixth object of my invention is to provide a signal which can be set to stop all traffic if desired.

Where street trafiic is handled by a traffic oflicer, it is common practice for the oflicer to use a whistle either as a starting or a stopping signal. For example, in some cities a single blast starts the east and west traiiic and a double blast starts the north and south traflic. The seventh object of my invention is to provide means for giving audible signals either by hell or whistle and either according to present practice, or otherwise, as may be desired.

There have been devised'various forms of traffic signals which are placed on posts,- which may be removable, the posts being located in the center of the street. Such posts are objectionable as they obstruct traffic, and the eighth object of my invention is to provide a trafiic signal which may be suspended above the center of the street intersection so as not to obstruct in any way the traflic passing over the streets.

in some locations where there are no overhead wires, the use of such overhead signals would be considered unsightly, and the ninth object of my invention is to provide a signal having four displays, each display being secured to a post on the street corner and facing in the direction traffic comes from, the entire four displays being worked together and controlled either automatically or by an officer stationed either in the street or elsewhere.

In the present system of handlingtraflic each traflic oflicer is an independent unit working without relation to the adjoining officers. This results in confusion and delays, as trafiic cannot move steadily forward. The tenth object of my invention is to provide a signal that is visible to the officer at the nextintersection, so that he can regulate his traffic in synchronism there- -tion with a single signal hung in' the center Figure 1 is a side view of the signal as viewed from the south, a portion thereofbeing broken away to better show the internal structure.

Fig. 2 is a section on the plane wa: of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a partial sectionon the plane an m of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a diagram of a street'intersecof that intersection.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the plane av -m of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a partial section on the plane w -m" of Fig. 6.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are diagrams of connections of different signal arrangements.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the dog means on the end of the reel/ The invention, if assembled as shown in Fig. 1, consists of ,a rectangular shell 11 in which are placed the displays12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, these displays being arranged in pairs, the up er signals 12, 13,14

' and 15 being prefera ly green, and the vaniz'ed sheet so that the lower signals 16, 17, 18 and 19 being preferably red. The signals 12 and 16 are so hung that the displays face north, 13 and 17 east, 14 and 18 south, and 15 and 19 west. Inside the case is located a drum switch 20 operated by a magnet 21, a control cable reel. 22 and a chan eover switch23. Suspended on a contro cable 24 consisting of two wires is a street switch 25. A vibrating bell 26is secured in the ,case -11 and a bell switch 27 is operated from the magnet 21.

- The case '11 is referably formed of galand has four sides with a pair of displays on each side. A hood 30 covers each pair of displays sothat they 9 are shadowed. Each display cons sts of an outer lens 31, and inner ens 32, a reflector 33, and a lamp 34. The arrangement and.

form of the lenses 31 and 32 and the re flector 33 is such that when the lamp 34 is energized,',an intense beam of'colored light is seen by a lay is highly colored and the arrangement of the hood 30 and the lenses 31 and 32 is such that unlesslthe lamp 34 is energized therev is no display of the signal this arrangement old in the signaling art and forming no part of the present invention. Q

Obviously other forms of visible displays I ma be substituted for the form shown.

'l he reel22, as illustrated in Fig. 6, con-- der 40 on which are securedmetal en and 42. The control cable 24 is coiled upon rson in front of'the signal,

sists of a wooden or other insulating I a the reel 22 when not in .use, the end of each of the wir'esbeing electrically connected to .one of the ends 41 or .42. The end 42 has a stub shaft 43 secured therein, this shaft turning freely in a'bearing 44 supported on and insulated from thecase 11 by a fiber block 45. A similar bearing 46 is supported on and insulated from the case 11 by a fiber block 47. A shaft 48 is pinned in the bearmg 46 extending into a cylindrical hole 49 in the center of the cylinder 40. A bearing 50 1s rigldly secured. in the cylinder 40, the

bearing 50 turning onthe shaft 48. A torsion spring 51 surrounds the shaft 48, be-

ing secured in the bearing 50, and the end 41. A wheel 52 is secured to the shaft 48 and a pair of dogs 53 are. ivoted on pins 54 carried on the end 41. e parts 40 to 54 form the reel 22 which works on the well known principle of the shade roller, winding up any slack when the dogs 53- are released by a quick pull.- Current from the 'control cable is transmitted to the bea 44 and 46 which are connected as will further described.

A partition 55 closes the bottom of the case 11 and the control cable 24 passes through an opening 56 therein, a hard wood block 57 being secured over the openin this block having an openin 58 wit rounded edges through which t ecable 24 passes to prevent fraying. A

The changeover switch 23 is preferably a pull switch of any well known form having a chain 59 and a ring 60, this ring hanging slightly below the lower end of the case 11. Any type of pull switch which will connect a single wire to a primary wire with one pull, a secondary wire with a second back to the primary wire with a third pull,

pull,

and so on, will be acceptable, there being many switches of this typeon the market. A dlagramof this switch is shown at 23 in Fig. 10.

The, street switch 25 is a. push switch having a single button which connects a circuit on the first push, opens the circuit on the second push, closes the circuit on the third push, and so on, there also bein suitother requirements. As shown it con-' sists of a cast iron base 70 having 'operatin shaft bearings 71 formed thereon in which y types of switch of this character on t e marwhistle and make electrical connection with the cylinder 77.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 developments of the cylinder 77 are shown in whichholes 89 and90- are shown cut in the cylinder 77 in the path of the fingers 82' and 83, holes 91 and 92 being similarly cut in the cylinder 77 inthe path of the fingers 86 and 87. The

cylinder 77 is cut away in the path of the finger 81 to form contact spaces 93, 9 1, 95 and96. The cylinder 77 is intact under the finger 88.

Secured in one of the metal ends 75 of the drum 76 are ten equally spaced pins which project slightly from the end 75 into the path of a trigger 101 which is pivoted on a pin 102 carried on an arm 103 secured to the shaft 72. A spring 104 holds the trigger 101 in'engagernent with one of the pins 100. latch is pivoted on a pin 108 carried in a bearing 107 secured to the in.- sulating base 70. When the shaft 72 turns in a counterclockwise direction the druni is pulled around by the trigger 101, and as the shaft 72 turns in the opposite direction the latch prevents a movement of the drum,

the trigger 101 sliding over the next pin 100 which it engages at its extreme position.

The magnet 21 consists of a winding 108 which magnetizes a core 109 which attracts an armature 110, this armaturebeing rigidly secured to the shaft 72, and turning this shaft 72 and the arm 103 when the armature is attracted by the core. The bell switch 27 consists of an insulatin block 111 secured to the cast iron base 0 and carrying a pair of jaws 112. A. blade 113 makes contact with the jaws 112 when the armature strikes the core 109, the blade 113 being carried on an insulating block 114 carried on an arm 115 which is also secured to the shaft 72. l

In practice I connect the signals in any one of three ways, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. In Fig. 9 I show a complete signal with street, and changeover switch, this signal being connected to the supply mains 150 and 151 and to the controlwire 152 by a suitable manipulation of the changeover switch. This type of signal and method 01 connection is intended for use where it is necessary to have an oflicer a portion of the time, but Where it is desired-to switch over the signal to operate on a regular c cle whenever necessary, in which case the 0 cer is not needed.

In Fig. 8 is shown a purely automatic control, the oficer having no control of the signal which. operates at stated intervals.

In Fig. 8 is shown a switch for purely manual control, the changeover switch 23 being omitted.

The method of connection is as follows:

The displays 16 and 18, 17 and 19, 12 and 14, and 13 and 15, are connected in pairs, either in multiple or series, one terminal of each pair being connected to the wire 151 and the other terminals being connected as follows: Lamp 18 to finger 86, lamp 19 to finger 87, lamp 1 1 to finger 82, lamp -15 to finger 83. Finger 88 is connected to wire 150 and finger 81 to one of the jaws 112 of the bell switch 27, the other jaw 112 being connected to the magnets of the bell 26. The above connections are common to all the forms illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. In the form illustrated iirhig. 9 one side of the magnet winding 108 is connected to the wire 150, and the other side is connected to the center 155 of the changeover switch 23 to which the other side of the bell winding'is also connected. By suitably manipulating the switch 23 the center 155 can be connected to the contact 156 connecting to the control wire 152 or the contact 157 connecting through the street switch 25 with thewire 151. Contacts 158 of a time switch, are closed at predetermined times and for predetermined intervals by a connecting member 159 actuated by a clock, or other means, not shown, for the purpose of energizing the control wire 152 from the wire 151.

In Fig. 8 the switches 23 and 25 are omitted, the magnet winding 108 being directly connected to the wires 150 and 152.

In Fig. 7 the magnet winding 108 is connected to the wires 150 and 151 through the switch 25 the changeover switch 23 being omitted.

The systems of connection illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are all designed to operate the signals in the same manner, the cycle being as follows: First, a short series of rings from the bell accompanied by a green display east and west and a red display north and south, this starting the east and west traffic. Second, a change to red on all four sides without a bell signal, thus stopping the east and west trafiic. Third, two short series of rings from the hell with green displays north and south and red displays east and cer comes on duty he takes a rod or wire and 'ulls the switch down to a convenient ength, unwinding the control cable 24 from the reel 22, the dogs 53 hol the reel stationary if desired. He then pulls the chain 59 'by means of the ring 60' throwing the changeover switch into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 9. He then closes the g the armature 110 against the core 109. his turns the shaft 72 and the arm 103 and pulls thedrum switch over thirtyssix degrees by means of the trigger 101 mil the pins 100. This moves the drum development in-the directionofthe arrow in Fig, 9 into the position shown in that figure,.the fingers 81, 82, 83, 86, 87 and 88 resting on the line 27 When the armature 110 strikes the core 109 the blade 113 of the bell switch 27 makes contact with the jaws 112 and current flows from the wire 151 throu h the switch 25, the contacts 157 aiid 155 o the switch 23 through'the bell 26 to,

the finger 81, through the contact 93 to the cylinder 77, and through the- 'r 88 to the wire 150, the bell ringing opens the switch 25, when the bell stops and the weight of the armature 110 causes the shaft 72 and its connected parts to resume their initial position, as shownin Figs. 1 and 6. The oflicer immediately closes the. switch 25 again, causing a second rin and a second actuation of the drumtakesp ace, the

l fingers resting on the line :0. In this posithe drum remaining in tion the fingers 87jand 82 energize, and displays 17, 19, 12 and 14: are shown, or 11 Si als show N and Sand red signals and The bell rings until the otlicer opens the switch 25, thus releasing the armature again,

position a2. When the oflioer desires to stop the N and S traflic heagaincloses the switch 25, thus energizing the coil 108 and actuating the drum switch, the fingers-moving'to the posi-- tion iv. The finger 81 slides o the contact 93 before the blade 113 closes the bell circuit through the jaws 112, so thatthe bell does not rmg as the drum switch turns\to the position x. In this 'ti'on contacts 8.6 and 87 are energized an displays 16, 17 18 and 19 are shown, or all. displays are red.

After a certain interval if the ofiicer wishes to start the E and W traflic, he closes. the switch 25, energizing the coil I08 and pulling the drum switch into the position x. As the blade 113 closes the contacts112 armature to resume its original position,

the-drum rema' in the podtion :22. In the position 2: the rs 86 and 83 are energized and the signals 16, 18, 13 and 15 are "energizedorNandSareredandEandW are een. When the oficer wishes to stop the and W trafiic he closes the switch 25,

anal repeats the cycle. untll-the ofiicer plaine V in the, absence of positions"; As thefinger 81 moves ofi the contact-94Ibefore the blade 113 closes the 'bell circuit through the jaws 112, the bell does not ring as the drum goes to position :2). In the position 2n the fingers 86 and 87 are energized and the displays 16, 18, 17 switch 25 sending'current through the wind- 'ing 108 and dra and 19 are energized, thus making all signals red.

When the officer wishes to start the N. and

S trafiic he closes the switch 25,-thus throwopened by the officer, who immediatel closes the switch 25, pulling the drum switc .to the osition a) and ringing the bell until the switch 25 is opened again. In the position m the fingers 87 and'82 are energized and displa s 17, 19, 12 and 14 are shown, or red E and and green N and S.

Positions w and mcorrespond to ositions 'w and m and a further actuation i When it is'desired to work one or more signals automatically without an oflicer, the changeover switch 23 is actuated to connect the center155 with-the contact 156, thus disconnecting the coil 108' from the street switch .25' and connecting it to the control wire 152. This wire is connectedto the wire lutely controlle at all times bythe control wire 152 which energized at regular intervals by the time switch, as previously ex- On the other hand, where. no automatic operation is required, the control wire 152 and chan eover switch 23 may be omitted, the parts. ing. connected as in Fig. 7.

' I claim as m invention:

1. A traflic signal comprising ahplurality of visible displays, means for exhibiting said di lays, manual means by :which a traflic o cer may control the exhibition of .said displays, and means by whichzthe displays may be automatically changed at regular intervals in the absence of the oflicer.

2. A traflic signal comprisin of visible displays, means for ex 'biting said displays, manual means b which a traflic oflicer'may control the exhibition of said disautomatically changed at regular intervals the siga plurality plays, means by which the displays may be I e oflicer, and means by,

which the traffic ofiicer can throw the control of the signal from the automatic means to the manual means or vice versa.

3. A traflic signal comprising a plurality of sensible indication means, means by which a traffic officer may control the operation of said indication means at such intervals as he may desire; and means b officer can cause said indication means to actuate at regular intervals without specific attention from him.

4. An electrically operated traffic control system comprising a plurality of signals;

which said means by which trafiicofficers may independently control the, operation of any or 15 all signals; and'means by which the traflic officers can cause all or a part of said signals to operate automatically at regular intervals.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 20 30th day of December, 1914.

WILLIAM GHIGLIERI.

In presence of FORD W. HARRIS, FRANK L. A. GRAHAM. 

